Super! Drama TV
| Type | Satellite and cable television network |
|---|---|
| Country | Japan |
| Headquarters | Tokyo |
| Programming | |
| Language | Japanese |
| Picture format | HDTV 1080i |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Tohokushinsha Media Service |
| History | |
| Launched | 1 September 1989 |
| Closed | 30 June 2026 |
| Former names | Super Channel (1989–2006) |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
Super! Drama TV (formerly known as Super Channel) was a Japanese satellite television channel owned by Tohokushinsha Media Service, a subsidiary of Tohokushinsha.
One of the oldest Japanese cable and satellite networks, it specialized mostly in foreign series, usually American. The channel closed on June 30, 2026.
History
Super Channel started broadcasting in 1989, owned by Japan Image Vision.[1] By March 1992, ownership had transferred to Super Channel Enterprises, and was being offered for 270,000 yen per subscription.[2] For most of its early existence, the bulk of its programming came from overseas. In 1996, the channel started airing Venezuelan telenovelas produced by Coral International; Tohokushinsha was in charge of eventually distributing its series to terrestrial TV.[3] In April 1997, it signed up for carriage on DirecTV Japan;[4] back then it was already present on rival operator PerfecTV!.[5]
The channel was renamed Super! Drama TV in 2006. As of March 2015, the channel had 8,153,100 subscribers and was specializing more in drama series, mostly American. Some Scandinavian drama series were already airing by then, such as The Killing, The Bridge and Borgen. 57% of its subscriber base was female; housewives alone being the main target demographic.[6]
The channel was removed from J:COM on September 30, 2023.[7]
On March 19, 2026, it announced its closure at midnight on June 30 of the same year due to "various circumstances related to the business environment", without specifying them. In the case of series airing new episodes, the channel planned to air their current seasons up until the final episode prior to the closing date.[8] The physical channel slot on SKY PerfecTV! will be taken over by V Paradise after that date.[9]
References
- ↑ Dentsu Japan Marketing/advertising Yearbook. Dentsu Incorporated. 1990. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ 島崎, 哲彦 (1993). 「CATV」と「CS系放送」の発展と展望: 「多チャンネル化」と「専門チャンネル化」の時代を迎えて (in Japanese). Gakubunsha. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ TV World. Alain-Charles Pub. 1997. Retrieved 28 June 2026.
- ↑ "DirecTV Japan Signs Three Broadcasters". Newsbytes News Network. April 18, 1997.
- ↑ "Japan's PerfecTV hits 100 channel mark". Newsbytes News Network. May 5, 1997.
- ↑ A cosmopolital tribe of women, retrieved 28 June 2026
- ↑ "「MUSIC ON! TV（エムオン）HD」（351ch）、「スーパー!ドラマTV #海外ドラマ☆エンタメ」（550ch）放送終了に関するお知らせ". J:COM (in Japanese). June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
- ↑ "スーパー！ドラマTV、6月末での閉局を発表「諸般の事情により」 37年の歴史に幕…長年にわたり海外ドラマ放送". Encount (in Japanese). March 19, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
- ↑ "「スーパー！ドラマＴＶ ＃海外ドラマ☆エンタメ」の名称変更について". skyperfectv.co.jp (in Japanese). SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. April 23, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.